Evicted slum residents want compensation

Evicted slum residents want compensation

Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

When it comes to agrarian law, people living in slum areas are
mostly oblivious or rather choose to ignore the matter, as
tending to their own basic needs takes priority. This however,
has cost some their homes.

After their houses were demolished by city Public Order
officials on Tuesday, the people who occupied the slum area along
the Cagak river in Penjagalan, North Jakarta, complained of
unfair treatment.

Some of the residents reasoned that as they had lived in the
area for more than 60 years they were entitled to the land, or at
the very least, had the right to live there.

"I don't have a certificate for the land, but I have a letter
issued by the late President Soekarno which confirmed my
ownership," said 70-year-old Juned bin Hamzah, the local
community leader.

Juned said he had allowed the others to build houses on his
one-hectare property, with an agreement that the occupant pay him
Rp 35,000 each year to help him pay the property tax.

He believed that the Soekarno-signed letter, which he said is
now buried under the rubble of his home, was legally binding,
thus giving him ownership rights.

"I wanted to get a land certificate, but the process it too
expensive. I don't have the money," Juned told The Jakarta Post
last week.

After the demolition, which the occupants said was without any
prior notification, the people relocated to a series of makeshift
tents they built along the nearby toll road.

Some sent their remaining belongings to their villages by
jointly renting a truck, while they wait for compensation money
from the city administration. Some residents said they would
return to their villages after receiving the money.

Meanwhile, the city administration said no compensation would
be given because the people lived on the land illegally. But it
promised to give a Rp 100,000 "goodwill allowance" to each
family.

Amah, who has stayed in the area for about 20 years, said that
she and her husband would remain on the toll road if they were
not properly compensated.

"This is unfair, I've stayed here for more than 20 years ...
they can't just come and destroy my home," she said.